Tybee has seen celebrities before and, like many, this one is elusive, dodging the cameras and inspiring awe in those who get a glimpse.

Sherry Eddings got a good, long look recently from her second floor porch on Eagle’s Nest Drive.

“We stared at each other for five minutes,” she said. “He’s a good, healthy-looking guy, long in the body, nose pointed, bushy tail.”

He’s a coyote.

Sightings began in the spring, and he’s thought to be the first of his kind on the island.

He’s “Wile E.” to those in the know, said Tybee Animal Control Officer Jerry Oates, who knows where he beds down — in the gated Horse Pen Point — and has tried unsuccessfully to trap him.

“He’s not some hobo,” Oates said. “He stays in a ritzy area that’s got woods.”

Coyotes occur in every county of Georgia and have for at least five years, said David Mixon, regional supervisor for game management with the Department of Natural Resources. They’re not native anywhere east of the Mississippi, but they’re here filling a niche left by the loss of red wolves.

Their hallmark is adaptability. They’ll eat just about anything including insects, rodents, garbage, fruit, pet food or even unlucky small pets.

“That’s why they do so well populating the Southeast,” Mixon said. “They’re not specific. They’re like hogs. They’ll eat whatever protein they can get hold of.”

Just down the road from Tybee at Fort Pulaski there are at least two coyotes, said Superintendent Randy Wester, who thinks they might be a breeding pair. He’s seen two different adults, and a smaller coyote was also sighted.

“It might be a pup,” he said.

Coyotes thrive in cities, Mixon said. But they make themselves scarce, hunting at night or at dawn and dusk. Mixon, an avid hunter, has only seen about 10 coyotes. He has killed two of them, which brings up another point about coyotes. They’re part of Georgia’s “unlucky 13” — nongame species whose hunting or capture isn’t regulated. That lumps them in with armadillos and rats, which aren’t exactly beloved.

“There’s no reason to protect them,” Mixon said. “Nothing’s affecting them. They’re considered invasive exotics.” That was part of the response in March when Tybee Islanders started seeing the coyote.

“A lot of people are saying ‘don’t bother the coyote,’” Oates said. “Some people are saying ‘just shoot him.’”

John Major saw the coyote last week and snapped a quick photo on Campbell Avenue. He reported the sighting to Tybee police because he thought he should, not out of personal concern.

“Some people are concerned,” Major said. “I’m kind of like, ‘He’s not bothering me; I’m not bothering him.’”

Had Tybee been able to trap the coyote in March, that probably would have been its demise. DNR discourages the relocation of rabies- and parvo-prone animals such as coyotes. Trappers who work with the DNR agree to kill trapped coyotes, Mixon said.

Tybee did contact local trapper Jack Douglas, police chief Bob Bryson said, but they didn’t reach an agreement with him.

“He’s pretty expensive,” Bryson said. “And he doesn’t guarantee results. If a dog or cat got caught in the (rubber jaw) trap, it would be career-ending.”

The coyote may have been behind the disappearance of cats from a Tybee feral cat colony, Bryson said. But for now the city is limited in its ability to capture him.

“Right now we’re going to sit and wait,” Bryson said.

Wile E. has his supporters. In April, a Facebook page popped up in his honor. Called “Save the Wild Coyotes of Tybee Island,” it’s “dedicated to bringing sanity back to Tybee residents who are flipping out over one of God’s creatures being on what they think is their island.”

Oates himself has developed an admiration for the creature.

“He’s not bothering anybody, and he gives people something to talk about,” Oates said.

Wildlife advocates say coyotes aren’t usually dangerous. Americans annually see more injuries from golf balls than coyotes, said Lynsey White Dasher, an urban wildlife specialist with the Humane Society of the United States.

Coyotes become problematic when they lose their natural fear of humans. That happens when people help them score an easy meal, either from leaving pet food or garbage in their reach. Trees that drop overripe fruit can also attract coyotes as can bird feeders that overflow and attract rodents, Dasher said.

Coyotes can also get used to encountering humans.

“When people see coyotes and the people don’t react, the coyotes start to lose their wariness of people,” Dasher said.

She advocates that those who like coyotes should take what seems like a counterintuitive approach: Haze them. It’s a tack approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which suggests making a “coyote can” — a soda or other can filled with coins or bolts and covered with aluminum foil so that when it’s shaken the coyote will be frightened by the noise and reflections.

“Wave your arms and yell at them,” Dasher said. “Even run toward them a bit. Be prepared; bring a whistle and blow the whistle. Pick up rocks off the ground and throw them at them. Water hoses are great. Any loud noise.

“The first time I saw one I sat and watched it,” she said. “But every time you do that you’re sending a message that people are not scary and causing them to be habituated to people.

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killed goats and cats in my area. I've seen them, and I've also seen one in daylight off of DeRenne past Montgomery Street where it becomes Lynes Parkway. They are moving in closer to us every day. I keep my pets indoors at night, and inside the fence or in the house the rest of the time. I've found too many partially-eaten cat bodies in the pasture and in the green part of the right-of-way.

I didn't say "all night", I said, "just for a few minutes". You know, sort of like the mother who leaves her baby in a plastic wading pool in the back yard "just for a few minutes". Stupid phone rings and a few more minutes pass until she finds her baby dead in a shallow pool of water.

Let's clarify for the crowd. A coyote is a wild animal. People should not try to domesticate it. On the contrary, use caution as its instinct is to shy away, but if cornered, it will attack. It is a canine; therefore, it is susceptible to rabies and parvo, both of which are harmful to other animals like your dog. When he or she is hungry the instinct is to kill smaller animals for food. In a way, this is beneficial as they will help control the feral cat population and over-population of small animals like squirrels and rats. But we should not be so tolerant that we allow this species to overpopulate and become a problem. They are not indigenous to our area and can become as problematic as feral swine if left unchecked. Believe me, I am not a proponent of mass murder of these creatures; however, control is important. To that end, Dasher's advice is sound: shoo the coyote away (water hoses, whistles, horns, & loud noises work well); don't make him/her welcome; don't leave anything outside he/she may find attractive (like unsecured garbage). Perhaps this one can be trapped and taken to a zoo of some kind. But if the pair on Ft. Pulaski is breeding, expect more to wander over to Tybee.

and donate the coyote to Oatland Island. I am shocked to hear that Coastal Georgia has coyotes. In Texas, they are native. We are encroaching on their territory, and they should not be killed. They were here before we were.

I would not want to see "open season" on the coyotes, like they have had with the wolves in the western USA. Too many other creatures get killed and hurt in the process, and, after all, they are not doing anything "wrong" by existing. I just want to prevent a disastrous change in our ecosystem, and keep humans safe, even if we are encroachers!

Whether he was here before us or not doesn't matter. We are domesticated (for the most part) he is not. He is a wild animal who lives by the survival method and anything that moves is potential food. He shouldn't be killed because of potential risk, he should be re-located. It's the humane thing to do and we are a species that can accomplish this. To just leave him and wait to see what happens is just as ridiculous as waiting until the death count or hospital count at a dangerous intersection reaches a quota needed to warrant a traffic signal. He's not a cute little bunny...he's a carnivore. Re-locate him! And for all the pessimists who want to complain about the cost to do so...tough! A penny here and there from the taxpayers won't kill anybody. Be human...be humane.

Yes let the poor coyote be, he will only eat your pets, any bird species and their eggs that nest on the ground and that also includes turtle nest eggs. Studied show that coyotes are taking a significant number of the new fawns born each year.

Tybee is not big enough to support encroaching wildlife like coyotes. They will go after anything that smells like food. It may be funny now, but when someone's pet becomes a coyote's dinner, you won't be laughing. And yes, small babies are game for them as well. Eradicate them now. You could leave them on Cockspur Island (Fort Pulaski Island), but they will eventually make their way to Tybee or Wilmington. And they are nocturnal hunters, too, so you may not see them before it is too late. And they breed well too. Nip this now before tragedy strikes.

Trapping and relocating is not an ideal solution, either. One, you are making your problem pest, someone else's problem. Two, you are not doing the coyote a favor, dumping him in another coyote's territory. (Or other territorial animal).

What will happen here is that as soon as someone's pet is eaten, someone will shoot it. End of story... Nothing to see here... Life and death goes on....

...about the earlier warning about coyotes, here is a video of a coyote and a cougar. These animals are damn dangerous. Tybee islanders - take note! Get them before they get you. Coyotes are NOT docile!

We can only pray that it is someone's beloved pet and not someone's child that gets this ball rolling. Yes, they are a territorial animal and is dicey to relocate it. Kind of like relocating criminals to a prison cell. We don't want them among us where they will do harm. So, it's a matter of individual preferences? They can kill rabbits, not dogs or cats. Or no, not rabbits either cuz there cute and cuddly, so they can kill armadillos, skunks, raccoons....until someone has a fondness for them, then they will be off limits. Where do we draw the line? WHO draws the line? If we sit back and let whoever decide, then lets just hope they're on the same track and hold the same values we do, right? I think this is a matter where the majority should rule. Not one or two or six. Where's the poll that gives the people a voice that counts and causes real change? Until we see that along with the story, we are just a bunch of flapping gums until something better comes along to talk about. Or until the coyote do more than just look cute.

We can only pray that it is someone's beloved pet and not someone's child that gets this ball rolling. Yes, they are a territorial animal and is dicey to relocate it. Kind of like relocating criminals to a prison cell. We don't want them among us where they will do harm. So, it's a matter of individual preferences? They can kill rabbits, not dogs or cats. Or no, not rabbits either cuz there cute and cuddly, so they can kill armadillos, skunks, raccoons....until someone has a fondness for them, then they will be off limits. Where do we draw the line? WHO draws the line? If we sit back and let whoever decide, then lets just hope they're on the same track and hold the same values we do, right? I think this is a matter where the majority should rule. Not one or two or six. Where's the poll that gives the people a voice that counts and causes real change? Until we see that along with the story, we are just a bunch of flapping gums until something better comes along to talk about. Or until the coyote do more than just look cute.

Already happening in my area. I suspect Dustman may not live too far from me, or else there are more packs in w. chatham with the same m.o. Wish we could relocate them to a more suitable environment for them. Once one big predator is gone (names: Florida panther, local wolves, etc.) another steps up to take it's place in the food chain. Mother nature is relentless, that way. Not the predators' fault.

That we humans are okay with animals dying at our own hands(which is what happened to the red wolves) so we can have beachfront property, but not okay with other animals killing to feed themselves. If we wouldn't have killed off all the wolves, these new predators wouldn't be here. Yes, they eat turtle eggs, squirrels, birds, etc....that's called the food chain! I'm pretty sure us humans kill more of these animals daily with our encroachment into their territory, then these coyotes will in a lifetime. We run them over, throw trash down for them to eat, poison them, we use their nesting grounds as a playground, etc...why are we going to pretend to care about their survival now that nature is taking its turn?